40 young people attended the summer school „Active Citizen, Budding Leader”

Created on 28 August 2013

Irina, Corina, Andrew, Stephen, Igor and other 35 young people aged 16-18 years old from Moldova have learned how to become leaders within the summer school „Active Citizen, Budding Leader”, held between the 18th and the 22nd of August 2013. The event was carried out by the Association for Children and Youth "Făclia" within the project “Decent work for YOUth – Improving the social economic situation of young people in Moldova by empowering Moldovan youth and Moldovan civil society” , implemented in partnership with CNV Internationaal from the Netherlands and the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova, financed by the European Union Delegation in Moldova and cofinanced by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Moldova.

The aim of the summer school was to develop leadership skills among young people in the four pilot districts of the project: Ungheni, Călăraşi, Făleşti and Căuşeni, so that later they would promote the decent work concept and their socio-economic rights in their native communities. Thus, throughout the event, trainers with experience at national level have carried out activities and practical exercises for personal development, public presentation and communication, and for conflict overcoming, which gave young people the opportunity to work in teams, to strengthen the team spirit and to practice the decision making process.

Ambassadors for active participation

Young people have learned during the summer school to create strategies, to identify community needs, and to find resources necessary for solving community problems, as the subject regarding the community, the community actors, and the role of youth in the community constituted a separate module of the summer school. Therefore, the gained information and the skills developed or consolidated within the summer school confered the beneficiaries an important status- that of ambassadors for active participation, for change and for promotion of their socio-economic rights.

Andrei Gorbenco, 18 years old, Căuşeni: „I liked the fact that the summer school activities were practical and based on games, communication, and constant interlinking. If it had depended on us, we would have given up our coffee breaks for the innovative and exciting activities which, fortunately, had been prepared for us. I am sorryfor the youth who didn’t have the chance to spend 4 wonderful days of their summer vacation with us.”

Cristina Veleşcu, 18 years old, Călăraşi: „I am so happy that I was one of the 40 young beneficiaries of this wonderful summer school! It was like a cold shower, that activated me. Now I feel more powerful and full of energy. I believe youth can achieve many things. I believe youth must succeed. But at the same time they must work, know their rights, enforce themselves as personalities and make their voice to be heard. This is what I will promote when I return to Calarasi.”

Angela Ciocîrlan, national coordinator of the project, prezident of the Association for Children and Youth "Faclia": „We staked on the young people because they have a greater capacity to disseminate the message, as they are energetic, willing, and eager to share their knowledge. We are confident that our project message will reach all the communities in the pilot districts of the project, so that the socio-economic actors and youth mobilize and promote the decent work concept and their socio-economic rights.”